Provincial council failed to solve problems in Kunduz: Residents

KUNDUZ CITY (PAN): Residents of northern Kunduz province complained of provincial council for failing to work effectively and even they were not available in their offices when visited, but head of provincial council claimed they had solved many problems of them.

According to locals, members of the council had pledged them during election campaign for doing a lot of work for their welfare but they failed to do so.

The council has 14 members, including four allocated for women.

"We have discussed our electricity problem with the council several times, but have no positive outcome," Suhrab resident of Spin Zar town told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The town was constructed three years ago, but without power while most of the local used generators, he said, adding they had discussed the issue with electricity department but they told them to buy electric transformer themselves.

"As we are unable to buy transformer, we discussed the issue with the provincial council, but nothing have been done so far,” Suhrab complained.

Nizam-ud-Din from Imam Sahib district said they went to the council office several times for solution of some problems, but no one paid attention to it there.

“I have land near Amu River which was destroyed by the river rise, so I discussed the issue with irrigation department firstly and then to the council for helping in embankment of Amu River, but there was no positive response,” he said.

He claimed that, “members of Provincial council pledged them to build roads, bridges, and that they will discuss the problems with the related departments, but it was only boast, nothing in action”.

The council had promised locals for building roads and bridges etc but nothing was done in that regard and if the council continued like that, people would not vote them again, Nizam-ud-Din said.

Meanwhile, members of the council claimed they had solved several problems of the people.

Mahboobullah Mahboob, head of the council said provincial council was a public institution and people had the right to visit it to discuss their problems.

"We have no executive power as we can only forward problems of the people with the relevant departments and monitor government functions," he said and added some of those departments were not cooperating to solve the problems.

Residents of Chardara district came to them for asphalting of their road and their application was forwarded to directorate of public works to accelerate the construction work, but was yet very slow.

An official of directorate of public works, on condition of anonymity said, “We have received complaints of the people through provincial council and we have put pressure on the construction company, working on the road while the work is getting faster now.”

Karima Siddiqui, member of the council confirmed residents of Spin Zar town had discussed their issue of electricity with them which was shared with directorate of electricity, but they did not took any action.

“If those departments do not consider our work worth then what can we do?” she said.

The government should give them more authority, to solve problems of the people more effectively, she demanded.

Eng. Hamidullah, director of electricity department said they had received application of Spin Zar town residents regarding electricity, but due to some problems they were unable to do so.

“We have contracted with Tajikistan for replacing old electric system of the province with a new one, while Ministry of Water and Energy had ordered not to install new transformers until the implementation of the contract,” Hamidullah said.

If residents were able to buy transformer, we would be ready to provide electricity, he concluded.